THE 54-year-old new dad, who has sold 80 million albums is looking forward to visiting Glasgow this September, and has revealed his baby daughter will be coming too.

CLASSICAL music superstar Andrea Bocelli has extended an invitation to Sir Sean Connery to attend his show at Glasgow’s new Hydro Arena.

Whether Bocelli, the biggest-selling classical artist of all time, is aware that Connery spends very little time in Scotland is unclear, as he asks me to help get his message to the retired acting legend, through an interpreter.

The Italian tenor says he wants Connery to attend his show at The Hydro on September 15 as his guest, as Veronica Berti, his manager and mother of his 10-month-old daughter, Virginia, is a fan.

Insisting he is already a personal friend of the ex-pat star, Bocelli said: “I would like to use this opportunity to invite Sean Connery, who is a great Scot, to the concert I will be holding in Scotland.

“I have had the honour of knowing him personally so I am inviting him now especially for Veronica, who is a great fan of his.”

Bocelli has sold 80 million albums and his 1996 duet with Sarah Brightman, Time To Say Goodbye, is one of the world’s top-selling singles with 12 million copies.

He speaks through an interpreter for his rare interviews — though it has been said he has a good command of English.

It makes for a stilted chat, during which the questions and answers are translated into Italian and English.

But he tells me he has already enjoyed a flavour of Scotland and even wore a kilt during a previous visit.

The blind opera singer admitted: “I wore it once at a private function in Scotland.

“It was fun, but I don’t know if I will wear it again when I am there.”

Bocelli, 54, will make it a family affair when he heads to Scotland for the show, and says he is looking forward to coming to Scotland, as much as his other shows throughout Europe.

“That won’t be the first time I have been up to Scotland,” he repeats. “I have performed more often in Europe because I am not far from home.

“I have a European frame of mind and Europe is my home.

“My daughter came here with me overseas. She will accompany me to Scotland, as well.

“As for free time, there won’t be much of it because when you are getting ready for a performance, you have to stay in your room for long periods.”

His daughter was born last year following 10 years with partner Veronica, 29.

They got together after his split from wife Enrica, with whom he has two teenage sons.

Having a third child is no different to the others, he says.

Though, like any father, he admits he will likely become more protective when his daughter is older than he is towards his sons – Amos, 16, and Matteo, 14 – both of whom are piano students.

“I had a daughter 10 months ago,” Bocelli tells me, somewhat flatly. “For the time being, it has not been different to the other times I have been a father.

“Little babies are all the same. They have no sex. They are like angels.

“But in 15 years’ time, Virginia is a girl and in touch with boys, then maybe things will get a little bit trickier.”

Andrea with his manager and partner of 10 years, Veronica Berti

Bocelli was born with partial sight, later diagnosed as congenital glaucoma, and became blind as a result of an accident during a football match when he was 12.

But his biggest challenge has been dealing with stage fright throughout his career.

He admits his adrenalin will be pumping when he performs in Scotland.

“It’s part of my character,” said Bocelli. “I respect very much my public and also the music I perform.

“Let’s say there is no battle of nerves because I am still a rational being, but certainly the emotional part of my being will emerge and I will pay the consequence of it.

“It is something I find difficult to grapple with. I will overcome it how I overcome all the hurdles in my life. I just try to pluck up my courage and move forward.”

He added: “I don’t have an extraordinary degree of self-confidence, but I know the gift I have been given from God and I try to share it with as many people as possible.

“Having a great voice is not a merit. I don’t think it is a merit.”

One way he will be making sure he is in tip-top form when he steps on stage at The Hydro is by sticking to his self-imposed sex ban before shows – though he takes me to task on such contentious terminology.

“I don’t know if I would call it a self-imposed sex ban,” he said. “It’s a piece of advice I received and that I reckon with.

“It is like a golden rule similar to athletes who can’t overdo anything before a match, and the same applies to singers.”

The elder statesman of opera, meanwhile, places faith at the heart of the incredible success he has enjoyed over the years.

On the subject of his faith, he says that, despite the shock registered over the news of the Pope’s resignation this week, he and others in Italy had expected it.

He said: “I think that it is an example of the Pope’s consistency. Even years ago, he said he would consider the opportunity of leaving the seat of Rome whenever he felt he couldn’t perform the duty of Pope as happily as possible from the psychological and physical point of view.”

Of the role that faith has played in his own successful career, Bocelli said: “Faith has a role to play in life. It is not related to success. It is the other way round.